The field of the present invention is disc brakes and the mounting systems thereof for small vehicles such as motorcycles, motor tricycles and the like.
Generally, disc brake devices for vehicle wheels include a ring-shaped brake disc fixed to the vehicle wheel and calipers having friction pads thereon fixed relative to the vehicle to clamp the disc for braking operation. The caliper body for holding and actuating the friction pads, when applied to the front wheel of a motorcycle, is usually mounted along one leg of a front fork either forwardly or rearwardly of the fork on the vehicle. FIG. 1 illustrates such a conventional disc brake apparatus. A lower member or bottom case 01 is associated with the front fork. The bottom case 01 includes integrally formed upper and lower brackets 02 and 03, respectively, projecting backwardly from the case on the vehicle. Mounted to the brackets 02 and 03 with bolts 05 and 06, respectively, is a caliper body 04 which is positioned astride a brake disc 07. The brake disc 07 is fixed to the vehicle wheel in such a manner as to rotate with the vehicle wheel. The caliper body 04 is shown to be positioned over the outer periphery of the brake disc 07 and then extends radially inwardly on either side of the disc. Between the caliper body 04 and the respective sides of the disc 07, friction pads are interposed.
In such a conventional disc brake apparatus such as seen in FIG. 1, the mounting position for the caliper body is limited to an area near the front side of the front fork or near the rear side of the front fork. Accordingly, there is only limited freedom for selecting the mounting position of the caliper in view of the conventional mounting arrangement. On the other hand, such an arrangement has certain advantages such that when the friction pads are worn and need replacement with new pads they can be easily removed by moving them inwardly in the radial direction toward the axle 08.